• Energy planning expert Asoka Abeygunawardana claims that the Prez seems to have been misled by the relevant officials on renewable energy 
• Says that almost every move under this Govt. has worked against the growth of the renewable energy sector

There are allegations that the current National People’s Power (NPP) Government is not doing enough to support Sri Lanka’s renewable energy sector despite years of promises and public backing for a greener future. 

One recent move that raised concerns was the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) directive to shut down solar power generation systems during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays – right when solar power generation would have been at its peak.

The Daily Morning spoke to electrical engineer and energy planning expert Asoka Abeygunawardana, who is on close observation of the situation. Abeygunawardana says that the problems go much deeper than a few questionable decisions. In his view, the CEB has become the biggest obstacle to the growth of renewable energy in Sri Lanka – even though it is supposed to be the organisation leading the shift to cleaner, greener power.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

The CEB recently indicated that solar photovoltaic (PV) sources were responsible for the islandwide power outage on 9 February. Is there any truth to that claim?

That’s not the real issue. The main reason for the incident is the failure of the CEB to properly maintain the transmission system. The second reason is that the power plants meant to respond during emergencies haven’t been maintained properly either. The third issue is with the electricity load shedding process. In Sri Lanka, we usually cut power in five stages during emergencies, but that system hasn’t been updated to match the rise in renewable energy generation over the years. 

If the load-shedding mechanism had been functioning the way that it should, there wouldn’t have been any disruption to the rest of the power supply after the first stage of cutting. It's only after all of these problems are considered that solar energy comes into the picture. But, what’s happening now is that the CEB is blaming solar power, completely ignoring all the other, more serious issues. If the other factors had been properly addressed and the system managed responsibly, solar energy wouldn’t be a problem.

Solar panel owners were asked to shut down their systems during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays. How did this impact the renewable energy sector?

Under the current system, those who generate solar energy are being paid a fixed price when selling the electricity that they produce. This fee is calculated based on factors such as the total capacity of the electricity generated and the expected lifespan of the solar power systems. However, when solar panels are forced to shut down when sunlight is there due to grid limitations or other issues, producers lose income that they would otherwise earn during peak production hours. This situation makes it harder for them to recover their initial costs and meet loan repayments. This also discourages new investors from entering the sector. 

In the long term, this puts the renewable energy industry at risk. Solar service companies depend on new installations to survive. If interest in solar energy drops, many of these companies could collapse. That, in turn, affects existing solar users as well. They may find it difficult to get support or maintenance for their systems. To make matters worse, the Government recently reduced the rates paid for solar-generated electricity. As a result, the overall growth of the renewable energy sector, especially solar, has stalled.

How do you feel about the support that the renewable energy sector has received from the CEB and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL)?

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of promoting renewable energy in Sri Lanka is the CEB. Despite global trends moving toward sustainability and green energy, the CEB still clings to the old-school way of thinking. They continue to rely on fossil fuel and show resistance toward renewable sources like solar and wind power. This reluctance is also embedded in its current leadership. The current Chairperson of the CEB has been known for over two decades as a strong advocate of coal, and a person who discouraged renewable energy. With someone like that at the top, real progress becomes difficult. 

If we want to transform the energy sector, the mindset at the top needs to change first. Either the Chairperson must shift his views and support sustainable energy, or he should be replaced by someone who will. The responsibility for renewable energy development is entirely with the CEB. 

On the other hand, the PUCSL, which acts as the regulator, has shown some transparency and progress. However, they have also had to face challenges – mainly a lack of access to data and information and attempts by the Government to limit their powers. To operate effectively, the PUCSL needs more legal authority and enhanced technical capabilities. Strengthening the regulator is essential if we want to see real progress in any sector.

How can we ensure a stable electricity supply while still promoting the use of renewable energy sources like solar power?

Traditional energy sources like coal, fuel, and hydropower can be stored and used when needed. But, renewable sources like solar and wind power don’t work the same way. We can't store sunlight or the wind. What we can store however is the electricity generated from these sources. There are two main ways to do this; battery storage and pumped storage hydroelectricity (allows energy from intermittent sources such as solar, wind, and other renewables or excess electricity from continuous base-load sources such as coal or nuclear to be saved for periods of higher demand). Battery storage systems can be built relatively quickly – within six months to a year. Pumped storage hydroelectricity takes longer, about three to four years. 

Ideally, these systems should already be in place in Sri Lanka. There’s potential to implement such storage at existing power plants like Victoria, Randenigala, Samanalawewa, Uma Oya, and Laxapana. We also need to modernise our grid. Moving toward a smart grid is the way forward. In such systems, all power plants are interconnected, and real-time data on energy production and usage are available. This allows for the more efficient management of supply and demand. In the future, there's also the potential to shift toward direct current (DC) power. Most of our current systems operate on alternating current (AC), but solar panels generate DC, and many modern appliances are designed to use it as well. If our entire generation, transmission, and consumption systems are based on DC, energy losses could be reduced significantly.

Can Sri Lanka achieve 100% renewable energy?

The short answer is yes. Every government over the past few decades has made some sort of commitment to transitioning to 100% renewable energy or achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Net zero means eliminating carbon emissions entirely – which also means eliminating the use of coal, oil, and gas. Some countries are looking to nuclear energy as part of their path to net zero, but, Sri Lanka doesn’t have the infrastructure or resources for that. Instead, we have an abundance of natural resources — sunlight, wind, and water — that can power the country entirely through renewables. Right now, about 25% of our national budget goes toward importing fossil fuels. If we can generate all our energy using renewable sources, that money stays in the country and boosts the economy.  

Can you explain how solar energy is integrated into the national grid? What are the key requirements for this process?

Most of the sunlight falling on rooftops in Sri Lanka goes to waste. Just 10 square metres of solar panels can generate one kilowatt of power. With a simple tilt of 7-10 degrees, solar panels can work efficiently on almost any rooftop. They generate enough electricity to power the households, and then send extra power back to the grid. Currently, if a homeowner or any other premise wants to send electricity to the grid with their solar systems, they need to enter into a formal agreement with the CEB. There are several types of agreements available, but one major condition is that the solar system meets certain quality standards. These frameworks have been in place for over a decade, but public awareness is only now beginning to grow. It's unfortunate that the Government is discouraging this sector just when it has started to show growth.

With the potential demand for renewable energy, what kind of job opportunities do you think this sector will create?

There’s a massive employment opportunity in the renewable energy sector. With 100,000 solar systems installed now, more than 80,000 people are working in installation and maintenance. About 1,000 companies are registered in this sector, and over 600 are actively operating. With the amount of usable roof space across the country, solar energy systems could be installed on up to 3.8 million homes. This would create more than 200,000 new jobs across the country. Unfortunately, recent actions by the Government have discouraged further growth. The pace of solar panel installations is slowing down now.

There are allegations that the current Government is not offering enough support to the renewable energy sector. What is your view on that?

Every previous government has expressed support for renewable energy. But, for the last 20 years, it’s the CEB that has stood in the way, and delayed the transition to renewable energy sources. Today, many of the people who created those delays hold key positions in the Government. Their influence has even shifted Government policy. For instance, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that 80% of Sri Lanka’s electricity would come from renewables by 2030. That target was later reduced to 70% under pressure from engineers. The current authorities now refer to renewable energy targets in terms of a specific number of megawatts instead of using a percentage. But, when you do the math, it actually amounts to around 60%. I don't think that the President is aware of this, but he seems to have been misled by the relevant officials. Almost every move under this Government has worked against the growth of the renewable energy sector.

What is the current status of international agreements related to renewable energy, and how do these arrangements impact the sector?

At the moment, there are no direct international agreements focused solely on renewable energy. However, most power plants – whether conventional or renewable – are built with foreign investments, either through private sector partnerships or government-to-government arrangements. For example, there were plans between India and Sri Lanka to build a coal power plant in Sampur, but the Government elected in 2015 changed the plan to a solar power project. When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited recently, a new memorandum of understanding was signed to build a 50-megawatt solar park in Sampur. But, it’s still just a memorandum of understanding. There are also ongoing discussions to connect Sri Lanka’s grid with India’s. This isn’t directly tied to renewables, but it could also have negative consequences.

What is your opinion on allowing foreign investors to participate in the renewable energy sector?

There are a few important things to keep in mind when considering foreign investment in the renewable energy sector. While generating electricity from renewable sources requires an upfront capital investment, energy sources like sunlight and wind are free. That means that if we rely on foreign investors for the capital, the income that we generate will flow out of the country. So, even though we’re trying to reduce the money we spend on importing fuel, coal, and gas, we could still end up losing foreign currency. This is why loans might be a better option. Once those loans are paid off, the income from renewable energy would be entirely ours. Many international institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are keen to support the transition to renewable energy, so obtaining those loans won't be difficult.

How would you describe the regulatory and legal framework for renewable energy, and do you believe that any changes should be made?

Although power plants are mostly built by the private sector, proper regulation is very important. Both consumers and developers need to be protected. That’s why a strong, independent regulatory body is essential. At present, that role is held by the PUCSL. But, the Government has repeatedly tried to reduce its authority – both under the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe administration and the current one. Weakening the regulator opens the door to corruption, backroom deals, and projects that affect consumers and the sector.

Can you share some examples of successful practices from other countries or regions that could help develop our renewable energy sector?

Countries around the world have already implemented successful renewable energy strategies. India, for instance, has entire solar villages and decentralised mini-grids. Australia, with a population similar to Sri Lanka, has over four million homes with solar systems. There’s so much that we can learn from how they structure tariffs to how they reduce technical losses and boost system efficiency. As a tropical country, Sri Lanka has a major advantage. We have abundant sunlight all year round. That makes our transition to 100% renewable energy possible and easier than in many other countries.

Are there any environmental concerns associated with renewable energy?

Renewable energy is much cleaner than fossil fuel, but it's not completely impact-free. The key is to minimise that impact. Renewable energy eliminates carbon emissions, but there are still concerns like how to safely dispose of solar panels at the end of their lifespan. The mining of raw materials for these technologies also has an environmental cost. Still, compared to coal and oil, the environmental impact is significantly lower and manageable.

What kind of support should the Government extend to industrialists?

To promote renewable energy effectively, the Government should focus on encouraging industrial users. Many factories could easily generate power by installing solar panels on their rooftops. There was once a system called ‘Net Net Plus’ to support this, but the current administration discontinued it in January, without providing a reason. This has discouraged many in the commercial sector. We also need to raise awareness about energy efficiency, offer tax breaks for green investments, and incentivise production during off-peak hours.